THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state reported a Covid-19 test positivity rate (TPR) of 17.73% -- the highest in the past three months -- on Saturday, the Thiruvonam day. The rate has been showing a steady rise from 14.03% on August 16 while it is feared that relaxations in movement during the festival season could take the rate even higher.
As many as 27,260 people are admitted to various hospitals in the state now as against 1.78 lakh active cases. In three districts, the occupancy rate in government hospitals is above 70% — Kasaragod 79%, Thrissur 73% and Malappuram 72%. The occupancy rate in government hospitals in two districts is above 60% — Palakkad 65% and Kozhikode 60%.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan has convened a review meeting on Monday. It is expected to take a decision on whether to impose more restrictions given the surge in cases. Healthcare experts had warned of a huge spike in cases in state in the event of a third wave of pandemic and speculations are rife that authorities will bring in restrictions in place of relaxations given ahead of Onam.
‘After Onam, test numbers will increase’
Experts, however, said more cases and an increasing TPR need not be a concern if hospital admissions are not increasing.
“We will have to be really worried if there is any increase in the number of hospitalizations... The TPR will increase for a few more days as the testing has come down; the testing will be purely on symptomatic people now. After Onam holidays, the test numbers will increase,’’ Dr Arun N M, internal medicine expert, said.
Dr N Sulphi of the Indian Medical Association also said there was no need of any concern even if the daily cases went up to 40,000.
“There is nothing to worry about if there are fewer hospital admissions despite the increase in cases. There are multiple factors now to determine the severity. More cases and increasing TPR are not the foremost ones,” he said.
In August alone, the state reported 4,13,142 Covid cases and 2,647 deaths. Malappuram topped the chart with 63,949 cases in 21 days, followed by Thrissur 51,649, Kozhikode 48,778 and Ernakulam 47,614. The surge was rapid in four districts — Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Thrissur.
The financial crisis being faced by traders and those without a steady income had forced authorities to ease restrictions during the festival season. Experts pointed out that Kerala had a large uninfected population and the infection rate is bound to increase. On top of that, the Delta strain of the virus, which is active in the state, is more virulent, they said.
